How I got into shooting
Dream job police officer
As a child, I dreamt of becoming a police officer when I was grown up. Hunting down bad guys, securing crime scenes, searching for clues, interrogating witnesses, arresting perpetrators… Imagine how exciting! But the most important part was the firearm that I would carry as a cop. Crime and thriller were my favorite book genres and “Cops and Robbers” my favorite game to play. I also loved cowboys because they revolvers. I loved the comics with Lucky Luke; the man who shoots faster than his shadow. I wanted to become like him, shooting faster than my own shadow. My fascination for firearms became apparent early on. However, as the offspring of a pacifist family, everything gun-related was bad and I was not even allowed to own or play with a toy gun. No chance to join a club for young shooters. I was not even allowed to use water pistols in the summer. Boring water spray bottles was all I could use to play with the others.
Eventually, I did not become a policewoman. I was simply too short – I did not fulfill the police’s height requirements. I considered joining the Swiss army voluntarily (for women). However, military training would have interfered with the start of university, and I did not want to miss the first few weeks at law school.
Law school
As a young dancer in Florence, Italy.
As a young student in law school, I wanted to become a criminal defense lawyer or alternatively a public prosecutor, upholding the values of the rule of law. I had a very romanticized imagination of these professions. I think I read to many thrillers by John Grisham… However, I attended all the relevant subjects. I had lectures like forensics, ballistics and forensic medicine. I learnt a lot about the serious consequences of using firearms. The curiosity to know what happens behind the gun always stayed with me. The inhibition threshold to contact a shooting club was too great, even though my godmother's husband was on the board of a pistol shooting club. On the one hand there was my pacifist family, who would have judged me, on the other hand I had this clichéd idea that these clubs were old men's clubs where you wouldn't be taken seriously as a young woman. also didn't want to be subjected to the pressure of having to become a club member. My desire to shoot remained a distant thought and other activities took priority after getting my law degree: I moved to Italy to complete my training as a professional classical and contemporary dancer. The whole shooting story was out of my mind… but things changed.
My first shot
My first shot was a bullseye.
After living abroad for several years, I moved back to Switzerland. Around that time, I got to know a former elite soldier and personal security officer working in the middle east. He happened to train the Saudi female police force as their shooting instructor. He promised that he would teach me how to shoot when he would happen to Switzerland. Finally, I started to check out places in Switzerland where we could go shooting and I found the Swiss Shooting Range. The PSO never made it to Switzerland, but I made it to the Swiss Shooting Range. Under professional guidance and supervision, I received a safety briefing on handling firearms and was equipped with hearing protection and safety goggles. I was allowed to fire my first shot from a pistol, a Walther PDP FS. I was impressed by the explosive power of gun. I was convinced that my first shot would never be on target, but I hit the bullseye (check the picture for proof). But it gradually got worse. In expectation of the recoil, I started to shoot low (however not left!). After finishing a whole package of ammunition, I allowed to try a Kalashnikov. At the beginning I was a bit scared, but I soon realized that it is much easier shooting rifles than handguns.
On the one hand, I was excited and wanted more, but on the other, I was frustrated that my shooting had gradually gotten worse and worse. I booked a Basic Pistol Course for beginners at the Swiss Shooting Range. The course was very helpful and informative.
Glock 48 in a holster by Custom Gear Solutions, a Swiss holster manufacturer.
I became more confident handling firearms, but at the same time retained the necessary respect for weapons. I quickly realized that I had a few individual problems that I needed to work on. As a beginner, I didn't know exactly how to proceed, which is why I booked a private lesson. There I was allowed to shoot a Glock 19 for the first time. That was a real epiphany! The Walther PDP was far too big for my small hands. With the Glock 19, which is much smaller and lighter, some of my problems solved themselves. The instructor gave me enough material to enable me to work on my weaknesses myself. All I needed to be able to train properly was my own pistol. Would you also like to get your own gun? Here you can read how I went about it.
Did you read about my experience testing the SIG SAUER P365 XL Rose 9mm? I had the chance to test this beautiful weapon geared towards the specific needs of the female shooter at the Swiss Shooting Range who collaborates with SIG SAUER Swiss as distribution partner. Recently firearms manufacturers discovered women and their special demands as a new target group, among them SIG SAUER. In collaboration with Lena Miculek – an American professional competitive shooter, multi world title winner in different shooting disciplines and firearms educator – SIG SAUER created the P365 XL Rose.